No. 2 Minnesota-Duluth extended its nation-best win streak to nine games with a 5-1 win over No. 9 Minnesota State on Saturday in a chaotic affair. There were 27 total penalties, including a 10-minute game disqualification on the Mankato bench when the game ended.
“The game was full of chaos, but the important thing was that our team stepped up and got it done,” said UMD coach Shannon Miller. “I was more pleased tonight than yesterday. Still a bit sluggish in the first but once we got going we were rolling.”
The scoring opened at 9:38 of the first when UMD defender Ashley Waggoner scored her first goal in a Bulldog uniform. The play was set up by quick precision passing between UMD first liners Melissa Roy, Michaela Lanzl and Jessica Koizumi. As the fourth attacker Waggoner was there to clean up on the second rebound, as she slid a backhander past Maverick junior goal tender Laura Brennan.
UMD (14-2) led 1-0 as the second period penalty barrage began. Mankato freshman Maggie Fisher scored for the second night on the Bulldogs, this time on a power play shot. Schaublin stopped the first shot but Fisher was on the doorstep alone and tapped it past Schaublin’s left pad to tie the game just 1:47 into the period. That goal seemed to tip the ice toward Schaublin, and Mankato (9-6-1) skated with a distinct advantage over the next five minutes.
However, as the teams skated four-on-four, UMD’s second line changed the momentum, as captain Allison Lehrke fed freshman Mari Pehkonen from behind the net for the 2-1 lead. The Bulldogs did not look back.
The last quality chance the Mavericks had to score came early in the third period on another power play opportunity. The sure goal shot clancked off one post and then the other in pin-ball fashion but finally bounced out exemplifying the tough luck Maverick night.
UMD had all the scoring in the third as Sara O’Toole scored unassisted on a power play goal, Koizumi on another and Lehrke finished the scoring with a short handed tally at 11:37.
Schaublin stopped 32 shots on the night, in which she set the team record for wins with 45. UMD has not allowed more than one goal in any game during its current win streak.
UMD can now fully turn its eyes to rival Wisconsin for next weekend’s battle for the No. 1 spot in the league.
